Egyptian Gods
The Egyptian gods and goddesses are primeval forces that were once worshiped by the Ancient Egyptians. The gods are also created entities, like humans, but are more powerful. They serve as a bridge between the natural world and the human world. Over time, the Egyptians realized that the gods were not to be worshiped and although they still prayed to them and used their powers, magicians began to train to fight the gods when needed. History Known as the age of the gods, the story of the Egyptian gods is a long and complicated one. According to most versions, Ra was the first god to emerge from the eternal chaos, raising with him the first land mass from the ancient ocean and shining the light of the Sun across creation. This act gave way to the birth of other gods and living things, and Ra ruled as king of the gods. Trouble arose, however, when it was prophesied that Geb and Nut would have a child who would be the next king. Though the couple loved each other dearly and greatly desired children of their own, Ra out of fear decreed that Nut could never bear a child during any day of the year. Defying Ra, Nut devised a loophole, resulting in the creation of the Demon Days, and gave birth to Osiris, Horus, Set, Isis, and Nephthys. For their disobedience, Nut and Geb were forced apart by Shu. At some point, these siblings were reborn into new hosts. In their new lives, Osiris and Isis marry one another and Set and Nephthys also marry. Horus became the unborn son of Isis and Osiris. At some point, Nephthys gives birth to a son by Set, Anubis. Claiming she does not want him to know his father, she asks Osiris to raise him. At about this time, the chaotic being Apophis begins to attack Ra, who is god of the sun and therefore the source of the life and creation he so hates. The gods rushed to defend him and Sekhmet was the Eye of Ra. Not so far that Ra saw that Sekhmet was too aggressive and violent and changed his Eye of Ra to Bast, the goddess of felines. Set became his loyal lieutenant. Their combined efforts repelled Apophis' attacks, and Ra was able to continue his rule unharmed. Isis, however, desiring to see her husband become the king of gods, tricked Ra into telling her his secret name. Using this newfound power, she forced him to retreat to the heavens and Osiris took his place, thus fulfilling the ancient prophecy. This enrages Set, and out of jealousy he tricked Osiris on his birthday, trapping him in a golden sarcophagus. He also attempted to murder Isis and an unborn Horus, but was foiled by the intervention of his wife, Nephthys. Horus, once grown, later manages to avenge his father by defeating Set and taking back the throne of the gods. Osiris, though unable to return to the living world, was restored to authority as the Lord of the Dead. Appearance Gods may take on a multitude of appearances. When manifesting in the Duat (Underworld) or using combat magic, they often appear as animal-headed humans. They may also take on the appearance of a human at any time and while fully possessing a host, they may trade their host's appearance for a more preferred one. Gods may also take on the appearance of their favored animal and may shapeshift freely between different forms. Gods also possess the ability to use a glamour and change their appearance. A gods divine form, which appears in the Duat, is too intense for a mortal and will literally burn them up. Powers Gods have greatly varied powers that are often specific to their domains, although they may occasionally overlap with similar gods. Shared powers include immortality, a great deal of magical power, senses and reflexes above that of a mortal, and some amount of shapeshifting. They may also increase the stored energy of whoever they host. Gods may at sometime, be immune or resistant to effects of certain Divine Words. Gods of magic, like Isis or Thoth, either with the total possession of their host or in the "perfect union" state with them, has the ability to create portals even on the Demon Days, especially when they are on their own. Ptah, a god of creation has a similar ability in that he can open portals in places where curses prevent that and Bes can't. Also gods of Magic have greater power over divine words than ordinary magicians, as while magicians can conjure objects and elements with this magic, these gods can even summon concepts. The gods may leave some of their traces, including their personal habits and their imprint on their host's magic based on its color. For example Marie Hakim's glyphs are black due to who her father is and that she was the host for her father at one point. goddess who hosted her, Isis while Amos Kane was red because of Set's possession. These traces may also allow former hosts to control animals that come under the gods authority. For example, Carter Kane was able to control the griffin Freak due to it recognizing him as a former host of Horus who it served. Gods, can remain as an echo inside the mind of their previous host, allowing them access to places to wherein they are locked against but their host is not as demonstrated by Horus in his conversation with Carter Kane inside the Hall of Ages in The Throne of Fire. Gods may hasten the development of the abilities of whoever they host. Gods are almost omnipresent. Their presence can be anywhere at once. Even though they banished into the Duat, they are aware, conscious, and knowing of what is happening to the mortal world as demonstrated by Bast, Isis and the others. Take Bast for an example. It was said that all that time, she was bound to Apophis in the abyss, but she states in The Red Pyramid that she protected the children of the Pharaohs. Gods can possess multiple beings or locations at once with just parts of the ba. Set possessed both the Red Pyramid and Amos Kane, Bast possessed both Muffin while in the Duat and another cat in Egypt to communicate with Sadie Kane and Walt Stone. Gods can possess beings even from their prisons. Apophis possessed Face of Horror from his weakened prison with just a sliver of his ba to manipulate Set. He was also able to posses several minions during The Throne of Fire before he escaped including a bau. A useful power that the the gods have is the ability to see magicians ba and even influence where it goes. The greatest extent of this ability was that while Carter Kane was asleep, Horus, the war god was able to pull his ba in to his own body. If they have symbol like a tyet it may be possible for a god to create a seal on a entrance or exit to prevent it opening. If near a powerful Ma'at focal point like the Washington Monument gods can draw power from it to increase their magic. This may however, in the case of a human host be only accomplished in the perfect union or total possession. Set is an exception being a god of evil and chaos. Magicians also have an ability in when using the Divine Words they can draw energy from Ma'at which is similar. Gods and their hosts have the ability to see past concealment spells. If two gods are siblings and one of them has power over a physical domain like a river and can communicate through it, the other if near this domain will be able to commune with the former if he\she is on the same side of the Duat. Gods and their hosts have increased control over their Ba. Sadie while the host of Isis was able to change her's in to a replica of her own body and Carter while the host of Horus was able to send his, while awake, in to the throne room of the gods. Most major male gods have high levels of superhuman strength. The most noticeable, are the baboon god Babi and the crocodile god Sobek. In combat gods can summon Egyptian battle wear. Anubis was able to do this, along with Ra. This can also extend to weapons as the former was able to summon a was staff and the latter was able to alter his staff and wand. Gods have a resistance to fire attacks and can simply flick them with their hand to one side. If they don't have a living host, instead of being encased in an avatar when in combat certain god's can grow in size. They can also to it while in the Duat. Gods have a resistance to Chaos energy so they are not incinerated while near the Sea of Chaos or Apophis. This extends to their hosts, even if they are in control. If a god has the talent, they can create advanced portals in the form of doors of darkness. They are advanced because they don't need artifacts and are not effected by magical disturbances. Also they can open to different places in the Duat, unlike portals, which have to be opened at the start of the River of the Night. Gods can break out of non-powerful Magic bonds and spells very fast and easily. Horus was able to break out of Set's magic restraints with no trouble and Set almost immediately after was able to transform back in to himself seconds after being forced to assume the form of a fruit bat. Category:Characters/Immortals